it's more camera friendly from a marketing standpoint (there's plenty of
real estate to sell); and thirdly, it allows Pelican Hill to feature both
courses on television.
"(The Irvine Company) felt that now is the time to (host a major golf
tournament), and if it was going to do it, it was going to be first class
and the facility would be first class," Ford said.
"This is not just the golf course we're promoting, but we're promoting
all of Orange County."
So as Pelican Hill and Jack Nicklaus Productions gear up for the big
pageant, tournament director Pollard believes the event will help make
the area "a golf mecca" as it complements the Toshiba Senior Classic, the
Senior PGA Tour stop at Newport Beach Country Club in March.
"I don't want to compete with the Toshiba," Pollard said. "There are
enough spectators (in Orange County) to not only support the Toshiba
Classic and the Diners Club Matches, but more.
"I want this event to come back to Pelican Hill year after year. We
never want to leave."
Pollard said the desert produced galleries of 350 people at times.
"We wanted the event in a growing and dynamic population where the
community would embrace it and corporations would embrace it, and I know
next year it will be five times better and my job will be three times
easier," Pollard said.
A Celebrity Diners Club Matches Pro-Am will be played Friday. For
tickets Friday, Saturday and/or Sunday, call (949) 759-5175.
